


Darkest Defender

by AC_Rodriguez



Series: The Frost Clan Adventures Book 1 [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22125676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AC_Rodriguez/pseuds/AC_Rodriguez
Summary: What if, at times, it's evil that has to defend us? -All of my life I believed happiness was a lie, that it was a dream I would never reach, a wish my heart yearned for, but my mind knew was impossible to fulfill. All of my life I had only known darkness, fear, terror. It was always about knowing what to not say, what to think, or when to stay quiet. One little word could cost my safety. One little mistake could cause a repercussion of events that could affect others around me.So you can imagine my surprise when someone suddenly appears and tells me I can have happiness in my life? That there are people out there that actually care for me without even knowing who I am? You know what my first reaction was? I tried to kill them, and I almost succeeded.Suddenly, I was pulled into a world much more dangerous than what I was already living. Oh, and I found out the reason my family really wanted me was to have control over my abilities and make me some playboy's maid and defender. Brilliantly executed plan, don't you think? Now I'm supposed to be someone's savior and do something good with my life, for the first time. But what do I do when I can't use good to fight evil?
Relationships: Pepper Potts & Tony Stark
Series: The Frost Clan Adventures Book 1 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1592617





	1. Prologue

Somewhere out there,

there's a girl waiting to be rescued.

There's a girl who wants to escape her prison, a girl who hates the life she's living and would give anything to leave and never come back. She can't be any much older than 12, and she's smart for her age.

But woe, those eyes of her have seen things.

Woe, her ears have heard harsh words and hatred and her heart yearns for something else other than what she has.

She won't admit her pain, of course. She hides it, buries it deep inside herself and prays no one will ever see how broken she really is. But she yearns for a better life, a life where she can be happy with simplicity. She doesn't want extravagance, she doesn't want riches, she doesn't want diamonds or gold.

No.

She wants happiness, a place to call her own and safety.

And I plan to give it to her.

I am her great grandfather and I have searched for her. I have given years of my life and more to find my beloved grandchild and give her that life she's been yearning for.

But no matter how hard I've searched for her, she hasn't been found.

If only her father hadn't abandoned her.

If only her mother hadn't been killed.

If only her remaining family cared enough for her as I have. If only I had been strong enough back then, she would be with me and she would be living the life she deserves.

But that's not what fate wanted.

No.

But I will tempt fate and break it. I will get what's mine and make sure to give my great-granddaughter what's rightfully hers. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want to break free from this hell I'm living in.

Abandoned.

Broken.

Pathetic.

Useless.

Miserable.

Those are words that I've been called for as long as I can remember.

Words that I've gotten accustomed to. Words that roll off of me like soap and water. But sometimes, just sometimes, those words pinprick me and harm me... just a little. But I'm determined to not let them define me.

There will come a day, there _has_ come a day where I can leave this life all behind.

A day where I can walk out in the world and be free. A day where I can be whatever I portray myself to be. But for now, I hide behind a mask, a mask of indifference and silence.

But there will come a day where I can show the world who I really am. And you know what?  
  
  


They will **_fear_** me.  
  
  
  
  
  


**_"I hide behind masks. I hide behind lies. I lie low in wait, waiting for my moment to strike. To strike when my enemies least expect me... who am I?"_ **


	2. Introduction to My Personal Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inside the Life of Alexandra Huntington

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Hey everyone! This is my first time publishing here on Archive! I've read a few books here and decided to post something for the first time. Trying the whole, "new year, new me". I hope you enjoy! I've actually been writing this story for almost 8 years or so, so yeah!

**_Alexandra Huntington_ **

“Just because you live under our roof, doesn’t mean you can do whatever you fucking, please! You listen to my orders, you stupid, immature, childish brat!”

I heard screaming in response. Zach was at it again, his temper was boundless and McKayla-(my adoptive mom)- should know by now, that he inherited her temper.

“I want to finish college, you dumb slut! Just because you didn’t go doesn’t mean I want to follow in your footsteps!”

By now, Zach was shouting in retaliation for whatever his mom and dad were doing to him. I heard his voice almost loud and clear from my quarters in the attic.

To be truthful, the cycle of violence, screaming, and endless fighting could go on forever if they wanted. I’m already used to this behavior, but it doesn’t mean it’s something I enjoy.

My name is Alexandra Huntington, and I’m 12 years old, soon to be 13 on October 10. I live in a bar called The Pirate’s Tavern in Midtown, New York- living with my adoptive family, The Huntington’s.

“I’m tired of your shit, Zach!” Maxwell’s deeper yet muffled shouts tried to echo into my room. “Either you man up and make a tough decision, or we’ll make one for you! And apologize to your mother, you inconsiderate waste of space! You’ve only been a plague in this house since you’ve gotten older!”

Zach retaliated by throwing something. "Then why did you have a kid?! If you hate me so much, why didn't you get rid of me before I was born? Or is it you couldn’t keep your hands to yourselves?"

There was a deafening silence after that one comment, followed by what I could decipher to be a loud smack and a crashing sound and incoherent cursing.

I tried to be quiet as a mouse as I got out of bed, making sure to grab my glasses as I stood. My room, as mentioned earlier, is in the attic. It’s the only small space where I’m able to do what I wanted; because once I was downstairs, I had to pretend to be the submissive, obedient daughter my drunk, abusive and irresponsible parents thought I was.

I hate this life. I want to be free, to make my own choices and escape this Hell, this misery. I hate pretending to be what they want- but I have to if I don’t want to be hurt again. I hate both McKayla and Maxwell. They keep me around as their pet and servant- I’m not even considered a human being in their eyes anymore. I’m a thing, an object, a belonging, a puppet on their strings that they can control and break whenever they please. I mean, the hits, curses, scars, the damage they’ve done.

Forget I said that.

The only reason I’m still here is that they need me- I’m like their personal Cinderella. I **_must_** respond to their becks and calls and obey. I clean up the _house,_ and I help with work at the bar, all while trying to remain invisible to them. I do the hard jobs, but unlike Cinderella, I don't have a fairy godmother or evil stepsisters (does Zach count?). And like Cinderella, I live in the attic- it's not small- but it isn't large either. I have the things I need. Unlike Cinderella, I don't have animals or rodents to help me in any way. That's right- I'm living the all-American Dream! You must be wondering, ' _Hey Alexa (you may call me Alexa) if you hate your life so much in that house, why don't you run away?'_

My answer to that question?

I have. Repeatedly. All my attempts at escaping this hellhole end up horribly. I end up with more scars, more punishments, less freedom, less time on my curfew- most importantly, pain.

Maxwell Huntington is working with the Italian Mob. He is second in command to the leader of the Gravina crew, Valentino Gravina, who has almost all of New York in his pocket. Valentino owns the NYPD- and if anyone stands against him- well, I don't think I need to paint that picture.

I allowed my mind to return to present matters, as in going to school. Maxwell and McKayla force me to go to school, to keep up appearances of a normal-ish family. I walked to my small closet without tripping over my belongings. The little light provided from the lamp on my nightstand did almost nothing to brighten my room. But there is only one window that makes it difficult for light to shine through. Since my room is dark, I tend to trip over objects since I’m clumsy. I glanced at the stairs in the attic that led to the house below, I'm certain that the door is still locked from the outside. That's what happens when you attempt 5 unsuccessful escapes. I grabbed my school bag and made sure to put my notebook and gym clothes in there this time. Once I was sure I had everything I needed, I took a deep musty breath, threw my bag over my shoulder and mentally prepared myself for whatever was going on downstairs.

The door to my room opened effortlessly for once- so I took the chance to head to the bathroom. The bathroom was gray, dingy and disgusting. I've cleaned this bathroom so many times- but it doesn't matter if I do clean it up- it ends up disgusting all over again. It's a never-ending battle. Do you know those bathrooms at the gasoline stations? The ones you only use if your needs reach code red because if you enter willingly, you might die of repulsion? 

That's how the bathrooms here are like. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but that's how I see it. Another thing is that Maxwell likes hiding his belongings in all the rooms except mine. And by belongings, I mean drugs, money, fake ids for McKayla, Zach and himself, but none for me thankfully. The first time I found one of these objects, I handed it over to a police officer, and not just any police officer- but the captain of the NYPD. And you know what the captain did? He notified Maxwell what I had done and handed the fake ID back to Maxwell; Maxwell and McKayla gave me an epic smackdown that day, I still don't know how I'm alive. If I find a gun at some point, don't think I'll hesitate to use it; because I won't. As I said, Valentino has the NYPD in his pocket.

I looked in the mirror and sadly recognized the person looking back at me. She had brown hair shoulder length, hazel green eyes that look dull and dead, glasses framing said eyes, a semi-crooked nose, sickly pale skin, scars running across her skin that she fought daily to hide and an inhaler in her right hand; also she barely reached the mirror because she was too short. The inhaler, because I'm also asthmatic. Apparently, life loves throwing me hard balls.

I checked my watch to make sure I had time to take a bath before heading to school- and since I did, I hopped inside. But as soon as I was done, I got dressed and made sure not to leave one inch of my skin that wasn't clear of scars visible. I didn't need people asking me questions. It was near the end of June, I was using dark clothes and my hair was on my face since I needed it to cover a decently long scar on the side of my face.

Once I was ready I looked at my watch again, I had 20 minutes to get to my school. The bad news? The school was like 12 blocks away, or so. Am I crazy to attempt to make it? Hell yeah. A quick reminder that I'm asthmatic. The good news? I don't think there is any. It would have been nice to stay at home (bullshit) and not go to school at all. But if I'm absent one more time, they're going to send social workers here and God knows who else to check on the Huntingtons and figure out why I'm absent so often. So, I have no choice but to get to school as quickly as I can. I swiftly got out of the bathroom and nearly flew down the stairs to leave the house, but as soon as I touched the base of the stairs, I encountered McKayla in my path. I immediately fell into character. Making myself smaller than I already was, slumping and hunching my shoulders, lowering my head, pressing my knees together and pressing my chin to my chest. 

"Alexa," she began quietly yet sharply, her black claw-like nails raising my chin to look at her. Those same nails made her look more like a demon than she already was. "Your curfew was changed. If you're not here by 4:40 today, you know exactly what I'll do to you, _don't you_?"

"Yes ma'am," I answered, keeping my voice neutral, although hatred boiled deep inside me.

" _Good_ ," she said, her voice sounding soft and sweet like the serpent she was. She then sharply removed her claw from my chin, cutting me in the process. "NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Her hair swayed violently with her movements.

Don't get me wrong, McKayla was beautiful -but she was no doubt- Satan's wife if he has/had one. McKayla was tall, pale, gray-blue eyed, with plump lips, long envious brown hair and perfect form. But even her beauty wasn't enough to convince me that she isn't Satan's own (she totally is!) And Maxwell? I wouldn't doubt that he was Satan himself.

I grabbed my school bag and ran out of the building. Once I was outside, I mumbled curses at McKayla and prayed for bad things to happen to her. I began quickening my pace to make up for the lost time- trying to make it to school on time. The truth is, I love living in New York but the problem is I'm asthmatic, the air here is polluted. I can barely take 20 steps around here without bursting into a coughing fit. Sure, I have my inhaler, but I wish I could breathe without it. I would have taken the bus around this time, but the bus is already gone. The bus driver waits until 7:30 for everyone to get aboard if you're not here before then, tough luck.

I kept my pace and tried not to take gulps of air when smoke from trucks and buildings were around. I didn't want my asthma to start acting up; I can almost always tell when I'm going to have an asthma attack. But there are times when I freak out when I find myself unable to breathe. I try to keep my thoughts free and calm, as to not spark anger- which could potentially cause me to have an asthma attack. I tried not to think, to let my mind be free and wander, I didn't want to think about _**her**_ so early in the morning.

I kept my head down and continued walking, remembering to look at the street to avoid becoming roadkill. By the third block, I felt like my lungs were being squeezed to death, and I could hear my own heart begin to pound in my ears. I tried to walk further before being forced to use my inhaler. As I mentioned earlier, I didn't have much left and I was prone to have more than two asthma attacks per day. I made it to the fourth block and began to feel temporary relief, but it was short-lived. The feeling of lack of oxygen, spots in my vision along with wheezing and coughing, appeared. Suddenly, I was on my knees on the sidewalk, gasping for air and digging through my bag for the inhaler.

The problem was that once I had it in my hands, I realized my mistake; I didn't have any medication left in my inhaler, it was empty.

**" _What's_ _past is prologue."_**


	3. I Get Saved By A Stranger

_**Alexandra Huntington** _

_**June 22, 2009, 7:38 am** _

Immediate terror flashed through my mind.

If I had nothing left inside my inhaler, I would possibly die. I tried not to let the horror and realization set in but failed miserably.

Soon, all I could see was black. I felt anxious and agitated, and then I began coughing. I could not breathe. The panic I felt caused me to stay glued to my spot, even though I knew I had to keep moving. And yet there I was, cemented to the ground and grasping at my chest. I was struggling to keep my breath under control and struggling to stay calm.

 _‘Move, dammit! Move!’_ My brain cried out to me, trying to incite a reaction.

Since this had never happened before, I felt lost. What was I to do? What were my options?

_‘Should I move? Should I stay here?’_

I didn’t even know what to do anymore, so I reacted on autopilot. Willing myself to my feet, I continued walking in search of help. As I struggled to walk, the air in my lungs shortened, fatigue caught up to me. Desperation and despair finally settled.

If I didn’t do something soon, I was going to die like an animal on the street. Spots invaded my vision as my brain screamed at me to move. I then felt my arms shake.

Fear.

Fear was beginning to make itself at home in my heart. The surrounding area began to spin like a whirlpool. It seemed like I had reached my end. I sensed fear crush me.

Then I had a thought.

_‘What was the use of being afraid of Death?’_

Death meant no more suffering. It means no more being around the Huntingtons, no more feeling alone in the world. No more. Death meant no more of anything. _’It means peace,_ ’ I thought as a stray tear rolled down my cheek. _‘Death means peace. It’s what Shay used to say.’_

And so, I chose to accept Death with open arms. But as I closed my eyes one last time, I then felt a hand on my shoulder, violently. My eyes opened barely 2 inches, but I saw blonde hair and emerald green eyes; I couldn’t make out the words. My hearing was no longer working- I read the lips of the person above me, a young girl mouth- _“Stay with me! Don’t die!”_

Instead, I closed my eyes with finality and welcomed Death as an old friend.

**.-.**

The young girl that had come to Alexa’s rescue began to panic.

She tried to find a steady heartbeat on Alexa but instead, found a decreasing pulse. Whispering a single word, _Ankotrum_ , time around her came to a sudden stop. Everything froze, like in a movie when a fast-moving object sees everything standing still.

The young girl -named Crimson- grabbed Alexa’s school bag and threw it over her shoulder. Lifting the brunette from the ground, she held Alexa close in an embrace. She looked worriedly at Alexa’s face and saw her lips slowly turning pale. It didn’t matter if she stopped time around them- as long as Crimson maintained physical contact with Alexa- the spell was ineffective. Crimson knew her, knew what had happened, and knew that if she didn’t act fast, Alexa would die.

 _“Ochihabune,”_ Crimson whispered, before disappearing into thin air while hugging Alexa.

She then breathed into Alexa’s face, allowing pure air to enter the girl’s lungs. Her abilities began to work on their own, healing and forcing Alexa’s lungs to function. Crimson looked at Alexa and felt relief- she was breathing normally now.

The minute they disappeared, time resumed. Everything continued -except for Alexa and Crimson- which were gone. When Crimson blinked, she found herself standing in front of Midtown High School, Alexandra’s school. Whereas she knew everything about Alexa, Alexa didn’t know a single thing about her. How could she anyways?

Placing Alexa softly on the ground, Crimson hid under the trees away from prying eyes. No one unimportant had to know or see what was going to happen next. Crimson, a blonde by the age of 15 and a few inches taller than Alexa, placed soft hands a few centimeters off Alexa’s chest. Pure, pale blue light escaped her fingertips and descended onto the said chest. Closing her eyes momentarily in concentration, Crimson then opened them to make sure she was doing her job. She found herself staring at Alexa, examining her.

The more she studied Alexa, the more Crimson realized how different Alexa had become. She noticed how gaunt Alexa was, how her hair was dry to the touch, and how weak and fragile she was.

 _‘An asthma attack? Alexa finding it hard to breathe? Since when did this happen?’_ Crimson thought as she scrutinized Alexa with deadly precision. _‘I can’t let her continue living like this. She doesn’t deserve this.’_

At that moment, Crimson hoped she was making the right choice and not putting herself or Alexa in danger. As she allowed the pure energy flow from her fingers into Alexa’s body, she felt a small gasp escape Alexa’s mouth. Crimson flinched and then placed a finger under Alexa’s nose- and yes- now Alexa was breathing. Now it was all a matter of Alexa waking up. What was her reaction towards Crimson going to be?

Bowing her head, Crimson whispered a small prayer and hoped that whoever was listening, would answer it. Shortly after Crimson said _Amen_ , Alexa inhaled deeply, as if it were the last breath she’d ever take.

**_._**

Alexa’s eyes opened wide, taking in her surroundings.

For a moment, she thought she was dead. The idea of being dead was no longer relevant as she inhaled. The last thing she remembered was being on the pavement, gasping for air. Now she lay under a tree -hiding under the shade- and she wasn’t alone. Glancing to her right, she found a beautiful girl sitting beside her, cross-legged. The girl was blonde, with piercing green eyes that were laser-focused on Alexa. Alexa became alarmed by the stranger and found herself wondering what had happened.

“Am I dead?” She whispered, instantly alert and trying to determine if the girl was friend or foe.

The blonde girl shook her head. “No, I made sure you didn’t.”

Alexa paused, taking in the girl’s features. “Who are you, and what do you want?” _‘If she doesn’t give me a straight answer, I will scream.’_

The girl moved closer to Alexa’s side, studying her. “I’m Crimson. I found you gasping on the sidewalk, and I couldn’t bear to see you die, so I saved your life.”

Alexa nodded her head slowly as if she understood what “Crimson” was saying. She decided to choose her next words carefully.

“You saved me?” She asked, waiting for a reaction.

Crimson simply nodded. “Yes. At first, I didn’t know what was wrong with you. But I managed to save you, fix you, I might add, in time.”

 _‘Oh yeah, she’s insane. I can see it in her eyes. Crazy people react strongly, especially when provoked.’_ “So... where am I?” Alexa looked around, panicking when she didn’t recognize where she was.

Crimson pointed at the buildings behind her with a thumb. “Well, your school is currently behind us. The spell I used led us here, I’ve never been here before.”

Alexa gulped as she heard the word ‘spell’ used. _‘I have got to get away from the crazy girl.’_ She inhaled once more and realized, as she placed her hand on her throat, that she could breathe. In an instant, she was hyperventilating. It was a reflex, and she then began to choke. It wasn’t until Crimson placed a hand on her back and coaxed her to breathe that Alexa calmed down.

Alarms were going off in Alexa’s head. _‘I don’t know what to do in this situation. This crazy girl claims to have saved my life, with a spell, and yet I can feel myself breathe.’_ Alexa then raised her head. “Where is my inhaler?” As Alexa raised herself to look for her inhaler, Crimson’s hand shot out to hold her down. Panic settled once again in Alexa’s mind. Crimson held Alexa down, preventing her from escaping. “Listen to me! You don’t need your inhaler anymore.” “What do you mean- I don’t need it anymore?! I’m asthmatic, of course, I need my inhaler!” Alexa snapped, prying herself from the girl’s hold. “I don’t know what sick joke you’re trying to pull- but this isn’t funny!”

Crimson pulled back, flinching, obviously offended. “I’m not playing a sick joke on anyone! I found you lying on the sidewalk, and for a moment, I thought you were dead. So, I offered my assistance, and, in the process, I saved your life. You’re welcome, by the way!”

Alexa shook her head. “And you expect me to believe all of this without a proper explanation? You’re a stranger I literally just met on the streets, who suddenly carried me to the front of my school and claims that she’s never been here before. And you expect me to nod and accept that answer without hesitation? Without question?” And before she could ask another question, she inhaled and realized that air entered her lungs without a problem. _‘Maybe she is telling the truth but I’m not telling her that.’_

Crimson passed a hand over her face. “No, I don’t expect you to understand. But I would appreciate if you took this stranger’s word as truth. After all, I saved your life and I’m not asking for anything in return. Well, I’m asking you for your friendship.”

Alexa swallowed and looked at Crimson dumbfounded then she glared at Crimson, questioning all the reasons she had for distrusting this girl. She began analyzing the situation; Alexa fainted on the sidewalk a few blocks away from the bar, but now she was in front of her school. She decided to check her watch to see how much time happened since she left the house and was shocked to see only two minutes had passed.

 _‘Maybe what Crimson is saying is true?’_ Said a voice at the back of Alexa’s head. _‘Perhaps, you have to take this leap of faith.’_

Alexa tried to shake those thoughts aside, but they were persistent. Alexa was about to reply, but she heard the first bell sound behind her. She hesitated on what to do. Crimson had let her go and was looking in direction of the school, a frown on her face. Alexa then decided she didn’t want to confront this lunatic any longer, she already had enough on her plate. So, she grabbed the school bags that were beside her and began to hoist herself to stand when she felt a strong hand on her wrist. A startled gasp escaped her.

“Please believe me when I say that I’m not your enemy and I’m not here to hurt you. But there are things out there that you don’t know about, things you don’t remember. Alexa, I’m here to keep you safe, you have to know I would do anything for you.” Crimson said quickly, in a hushed tone. “That’s why I saved you, you don’t remember me but... just know you can’t trust anyone.”

Alexa, despite being shocked and petrified, gained her composure once Crimson said not to trust anyone. “Ain’t that the truth. But why should I believe a word you say?”

Crimson stood up, almost 5 inches taller than Alexa, slightly towering over her. “Because I saved your life.”

Alexa sighed, allowing a small groan to escape her. She then closed her eyes and rubbed them until she could black and white squares swimming in her vision, she just didn’t want to face ‘Crimson’ or anything else right now. She didn’t know what to believe.

“Trust no one, Alexandra. But please try to trust me. And try to stay safe... Tulip.”

Alexa’s attention snapped once the word Tulip was uttered. Removing her hands from her eyes, Alexa faced thin air. Crimson was gone. Alexa did a double-take as she looked around, searching for Crimson just to realize she was gone. For a moment, she thought she had imagined this whole event. She thought she might have cracked with all the pressure she faced daily and hallucinated the entire conversation but then inhaled deeply.

 _‘No this actually happened...and now I have goosebumps.’_ Alexa thought.

Before Alexa could focus her attention on Crimson, she heard the school bell ring a second time. She shook her head and began making her way to school, or its more common term among students, **_“Prison”._**

 _‘I have more important things to worry about than Crimson and her paranoid warnings. This seems like problems for another time.’_ And with that thought in mind, Alexa managed to bury this whole episode in the back of her mind as she took her first step towards the school.

**_“Give a man a mask and he will show you his true face.”_ **

**|Amora|**


	4. Standing Up For Myself

**Alexandra Huntington**

Truth be told, my day went by in a blur. The highlights of my day after I met the mysterious Crimson were few. My thoughts kept wandering back to her repeatedly until the strange, enigmatic girl who claimed to have saved my life was the only thing running around in my brain. Crimson distracting me and invading my mind made Sasha Jester and Peter Michelson’s jabs at me seem insignificant yet annoying, but they were one of the climaxes of my day, compared to my near-death experience.

Let me explain what happened.

_(A Few Hours Earlier)_

Walking into school after meeting a stranger and almost dying seemed like torture. Why did the school have to exist? Some people don’t believe that hell exists on Earth... apparently, they have never stepped a foot inside a school. With the constant staring and judgmental looks of other students, the sea of students blocking the hallways, the couples exposing their relationships for the school to see and sometimes blocking other peoples’ lockers, the excessive drama outside of class, the cliques and groups, the lack of belonging, the sense of self-hate and bullying... and I haven’t even mentioned the homework, plus the annoying and hateful teachers yet. This is just the basic and classic description of 99% of schools worldwide, don’t you even dare question my logic, because I guarantee you, it’s accurate.

Anyhow, back to me and my current drama. I am a victim of bullying.

If you didn’t see that coming, you should really see your local optometrist. With being short, wearing glasses, being adopted, coming from a middle-class family who works in a bar of all places, and being the youngest in my class, I am the best and logical choice person for bullying. Especially since McKayla told every teacher that I’m neurotic and that I tend to have anger outbursts, that I seek attention and that I’m not the same child I was after the _incident._

After McKayla filled the entire school, students and teachers heads with lies about me, everyone either avoids me or pick on me. Mostly the latter. Other times there’s only two students that tend to bully me most, Sasha Jester and Peter Michelson. Sasha being the Head Cheerleader and Peter Michelson, her boyfriend, and Captain of the Football team. With near-perfect grades, good looks and everyone else’s envy or approval, those two were the power couple of Midtown High.

I tried to avoid them at all costs, but they didn’t do the same for me. I guess I’m their only source of entertainment around here. I was minding my business like I always do, walking to my locker and avoiding contact, both physical and visual with everyone. But that doesn’t stop bullies from picking on you. Sasha and Peter came waltzing down the hallway, fake smiling, and shoving people out of their way when they didn’t move. They were followed by their entourage of football players and cheerleaders as they walked and stopped right in front of me as I turned around. I let a tired sigh escape me as I held my books tighter to my chest, preparing myself for their usual banter.

Sasha flickered her jet-black hair behind her back, her ponytail similar to a rat’s tail, swishing back and forth; that thought made me smile a little despite my situation. Her black cheerleader uniform brought the hazel of her eyes and made her seem thinner than she already was. Those same eyes gave me a once over before she sashayed her way towards me and slammed my books out of my hands. I instantly let my hands fall to my sides and formed them into fists, another sigh escaping my mouth. I leaned my head against my locker and prepared for the onslaught of insults to start.

“Well, would you look at that.” Sasha began. “The little orphan is acting submissive again. What happened to your bite, _Lexy_? You’re no fun if you don’t fight back.”

I absolutely hated it when she called me _Lexy_ , it made me sound like one of those cheap, plastic, fake tits and short skirt girls like her. _(A/N: Kudos to Why Don’t We_ ) I just rolled my eyes and gritted my teeth but made no movements.

“Peter, she’s acting boring again.” Sasha pouted and leaned against her boyfriend.

Peter’s red hair and black eyes made him seem different, attractive even. Too bad he was a douche. He was tall, built like a tank, with being the star quarterback, his red hair constantly falling onto his eyes, his strong arms wrapped around Sasha’s slim waist as if they were a vise. She was thin and pretty, if I’m being honest. But while she was pretty on the outside she was disgusting and putrid on the inside, like a decaying, rotting dead dog on the side of the highway.

“C’mon _Lexy_. Play with us. We’re bored.” He said with a smirk.

Everyone around me snickered. Peter and Sasha had the entire school wired, they only had to say a few words and soon the entire student body would follow them like dogs after a bone. Or horny dogs after a bitch in heat. They often sneered and tormented me.

There were times where I just wanted to wipe the smirk off both their faces. Yet here I was cowering and letting them walk over me; stomping on me and belittling me, just like McKayla and Maxwell do. And I hated it. I’m not an immature, four -year- old who cries and hides from her enemies. This old me had to stop. I would have to make a stand. I mean, I nearly died today and yet here I was standing, taking shit from people who took advantage of me and allowing them to trample over me as if I were a worn-out rug. Well, fuck this! Enough is enough.

 _‘Take a damn stand, Alexandra! You’re stronger than all of them. You’re much braver and tougher than they are. Show them that! Prove to them what you really are capable of. Today is the day you show all of them who you really are; show them your claws and fangs!’_ A voice in my head told me.

Never have I ever heard a voice that coaxed me or tempted me to stand up for myself. Mostly, my subconscious would tell me to hide and let Sasha and Peter do whatever they wanted because it would work out for me, they would ignore me and get bored of me if I didn’t act out. But this new voice was different, I haven’t heard it in a long time. A voice that told me to stand my ground and show them what I was made of. So, I listened and bared my fangs... just not literally.

Sasha decided to toy with me like she always does. Pull my hair, remove my glasses and if she was truly irritated, slap me. But not today. I felt heat surround me, burn me, and give me strength, anger boiling deep inside me as Sasha raised her hand to pull my hair. Only this time she didn’t even reach my face before my grip was on her wrist, hard. Harder than I ever imagined myself capable of doing.

“Don’t touch me!” Came my quiet yet sharp reply before I shoved her away as she collided into Peter. “God knows where your hands have been!”

Her face turned into shock before she let out a sharp nervous laugh, but covered it with surprise, whether feigned or real, I didn’t care. Meanwhile, some people among the crowd gasped, amused.

“Look, Peter!” Sasha said with fake enthusiasm. “Little orphan _Lexy_ is acting up!”

“It’s about time! They told me she’s crazy enough to start fights. That she acts insane once you get her worked up and she starts screaming and crying too.”

I felt anger boil inside me. Lies, it was all lies that they spoke about me. And I hated them so much at that moment.

“What’s the matter, _Lexy_? Cat got your tongue or are you regretting acting out?” Sasha taunted as she gathered her courage.

I didn’t know where the words suddenly came from, but they were out of my mouth before I realized it. “Oh, shut up Sasha! You’re too stupid to think for yourself to begin with! Did your boyfriend help you come up with decent lines to attack me with today?”

Her eyes grew wide and her face became blank with shock before features of anger set on her face. Everyone around the hallway grew silent, as Sasha then shrieked, **“WHAT DID YOU SAY?!”**

I scoffed, stepping away from my locker and managing to walk in a small circle around her. Like a shark circling its prey. Because that’s what I became in that moment, a **shark**. “Haven’t you realized it yet? The real reason everyone follows you around? It’s because your stupid attempts at being popular and trying to act like the Queen Bee in school, allows you to reveal the _idiot_ everyone knows you are.”

Her eyes turned livid as she approached me when I stood directly in front of her. Everyone else looked at each other and I saw them give each other small smiles.

“Poor Sasha doesn’t realize that the entire school enjoys watching you struggle to be popular and stand on top. They enjoy it, the sad attempts you do, when they truly hate you and want to watch you burn and humiliated.” I taunted, a smirk crawling its way onto my face, a feeling of joy creeping its way onto my dead~ish heart.

Sasha was angry, furious even. But she said nothing as she whirled around and shrieked, “Peter?! Aren’t you going to do something?!”

Peter’s face held a coy smirk as he watched me, making no attempt to stand up for Sasha. Well, now I was going to wipe that smirk off his face.

“Sasha? Why should he stand up for you to begin with?” I said, standing right in front of her to my full height, which sadly only reached her neck. “After all, I wouldn’t stand up for my girlfriend who cheats on me with my two best friends at the same time.”

I let the words slip out and felt a surge of unending joy in me. Especially when Sasha’s face turned into absolute horror and Peter began to turn as red as his hair. Said two friends decided to slowly back away and quietly from the crowd, but the rest of the students in our vicinity held them in place. My attention turned to Peter as the entire student body snickered and oohed, not at me for once.

“I don’t know if you know this Peter, but Sasha here is _quite_ the screamer. And the walls here are thin, especially since you know.... the walls have ears.”

Everyone around me exploded, hollering, and going nuts. The withering look Peter gave Sasha almost made me laugh. This is the happiest I have ever been. But it was time to turn this up a notch.

“Peter,” I began. “I hate to break it to you this way but, I think the reason Sasha cheats on you, from what I heard and from my understanding is that... Well, how do I say this? You’re **_small_**.”

The look of utter embarrassment, mortification and rage made me continue. “I mean, that’s what Sasha was saying to Dirk and Chad as they had sex in the music room. Your friends are bigger than you, which is why she prefers them inside her, _repeatedly_.”

There was an uproar going on in the middle of the hallway. Everyone was screaming, and I felt the withering and furious stares of Sasha aimed at me as Peter clenched and unclenched his fists. I was aching for them to fight amongst themselves, to see whose fist would start swinging first. But my joy was cut short when two teachers’ voices cut through the chaos, their voices sounding like thunder and shoving their way quickly into the middle of the chaos before fists could start flying.

The first person I saw, despite her short height, was Ms. Sullivan. She was our Chemistry teacher, she was pretty... when she was like 20. Ms. Sullivan was like 40 something years old, never got married and was incredibly cranky, which made her a spinster; she was cool no doubt, but she always seemed to be in a foul mood. That made everyone think that she had a stick up her ass. I was sometimes inclined to agree. She was almost my height, about 6 inches taller than me or so, with black hair braided into a crown at the top of her head, her sky-blue eyes a stark contrast to her dark skin. Her body was slender under her long shin-length, navy blue polka dot dress. She wore minimal makeup, but wrinkles and frown lines adorned her face.

Standing beside her was our World History teacher, Mr. Burkhardt, our Indiana Jones look-alike. Because it was clear to me, that Mr. B was a huge fan of Indy; from dressing similarly to him, copying a bit of his speech pattern and being a History teacher as a profession, it was totally obvious.

Mr. Burkhardt, being one of the tallest teachers in our school, second to Mr. Griffin, our gym teacher, was of fair skin. He had the same shade of blue eyes as Ms. Sullivan, only his were grayer, dressed up in his gray suit, glasses framing his face. It seemed he hadn’t shaved in a while, his beard nearly reaching his throat; he had a runner’s built, muscle hidden under his clothes yet lean at the same time.

Both teachers worked their way into the center of chaos and dispersed everyone, promising that if they didn’t move soon, detention plus suspension awaited them. Sasha gave me the stink eye and mumbled curses under her breath but her anger towards me was short-lived as Peter said loudly enough, **_“We’re over!”_** before walking to his classroom.

I was smirking the whole while until it was just me and the two teachers.

“Ms. Huntington,” Mr. Burkhardt called, drawing my attention to him. “Care to explain what happened?”

I took a deep breath. Mr. B was my favorite teacher, and for some reason, I could never lie around him and he never treated me as the other teachers did, with contempt, despise and lack of esteem.

“They started to pick on me again,” I replied quietly.

“And?”

“I decided I was tired of being bullied. So, I stood up for myself.”

“And how did this commotion occur then?” Ms. Sullivan cut in.

“I might have said some things... Adding gasoline to the fire.” I said as I stared at my feet.

Ms. Sullivan scoffed and then I looked at her.

But what I saw, shocked me. Instead of a 40 something-year-old standing before me, a teenage girl stood in her place. Her skin was a soft tan, like light caramel, brown hair let loose in waves down her back and her eyes were a rich brown while her mouth was set in a side smirk as she glanced at Mr. B. I looked at Burkhardt and saw that he stayed the same, frowning at me as if he couldn’t see Ms. Sullivan as I could. I began rubbing my eyes just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating, because really? How did my 40+-year-old teacher turn into a teenage girl in the blink of an eye?

I blinked after rubbing my eyes and glanced at Ms. Sullivan again and leaned back into my lockers in horror, my eyes opening wide as saucers, my mouth set in a small gasp. And when Sullivan saw me, she did the same because she realized at that moment, that I was seeing her for what she truly appeared.

And at that moment, I realized...

my life really did take a turn for the worst.

_**“People trust with their eyes above all else- but most people see what they wish to see, or what they believe they should see; not what is really there.” -Zoë Marriott** _

**Yours truly,**

**|Amora|**


	5. A Forgotten Memory, A Big Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys! I don't know if anyone else is reading this but from now on, I'll be posting titles of the song or songs I was listening to while writing. For me, it help sets the mood. I recommend you give the songs a try.
> 
> AC_Rodriguez

Mr. Burkhardt watched the interaction in its entirety between Alexandra and “Ms. Sullivan”. Mr. Burkhardt tried to keep his face neutral as best as he could. Why was Alexandra’s looking like that? What’s-

“Dad.” The female beside him hissed. “She can see me, like the **real** me! Do something **_quick_**!”

Alexa’s mouth was open wide, and at any moment she was about to scream. Mr. Burkhardt’s facade of calm disappeared once his daughter’s words left her lips. With his eyes opening wide, his mouth set in a determined yet _grim_ frown, Mr. Burkhardt blocked Alexa away from prying eyes and let one word, one command, escape his lips.

 ** _“Sleep.”_** The word wasn’t any louder than a whisper but held power nonetheless, for instantaneously Alexa fell unconscious, like a sack of potatoes in his arms.

Mr. Burkhardt cradled the comatose girl with tenderness. He then nodded at his daughter who whispered, _“Ankotrum”,_ and time around them stopped.

“Dad, how is this possible? She’s never seen through my illusion before, how come she suddenly did?”

“I don’t know Vesper, but this wasn’t supposed to happen anytime soon.” Mr. Burkhardt said as he brushed the excessive hair out of Alexa’s face.

A scar on Alexa’s face became visible, and a gasp escaped Vesper as Mr. Burkhardt’s grasp on Alexa tightened.

“How dare they!” He growled. “How dare they touch her this way!”

“Dad, your grip is too hard! You’re hurting her!” Vesper said as she placed a hand on her father’s shoulder, and he loosened the hold he had on Alexa.

Mr. Burkhardt looked at his daughter. “Haideen,” he began, his voice becoming soft and raw. “This was never meant to be Alexa’s life. She is and was supposed to live with us, she was never meant to go through this... this suffering, pain, and rage.”

“Dad, I would drop this entire charade too if her life weren’t at stake. I mean-”

But Vesper never finished her sentence. Inhaling deeply, Alexa opened her eyes, but green eyes did not look at Mr. Burkhardt or Vesper. The once unconscious girl looked back at the duo. Her eyes were no longer green but a white-gray, the color of the moon.

“You!” Alexa rasped, her voice softer yet foreign.

“You’re not Alexa,” Vesper stated, eyes wide and eyebrows upturned, her mouth also slightly open.

The young woman, although resembled Alexa for physically it was Alexandra, Alexa wasn’t the one who was speaking; the girl looked at the pair of individuals in front of her with recognition and seriousness. Raising herself into a sitting position and out of Mr. Burkhardt’s arms, the girl stared at the pair, observing them. “Indeed, I am not. I am what has kept Alexandra alive.”

“My lady Aur-”

“Do not utter my name! For they shall surely hear it and will come for me and Alexandra.”

“My apologies, My Lady.” Mr. Burkhardt replied while he inclined his head slightly.

“You need not pay me respects, Kyllian, I know from which bloodline you hail. You are as much a Lord as I am Lady, as is your daughter.” The non- Alexa said before referring to Vesper. “My Lady.”

Vesper nodded swiftly and kneeled beside her father and “The Lady”. Vesper looked at her father for permission, but his eyes were on non-Alexa, so she took her chance and spoke. “Why are you here, My Lady Seline?”

Vesper looked at the non-Alexa, waiting tentatively to see if ‘Seline’ was an appropriate name to refer to her as. ‘Seline’, with her pale white eyes, looked at her hands and smiled tenderly as if remembering something and then nodded while returning her gaze to Vesper.

“The blonde one... the blonde one has finally awoken me.”

“Blonde one, My Lady?” Kyllian inquired.

“Your niece... Crimson, was it? She finally awakened me from my slumber for the past 12 years. Alexandra’s body is finally recovering from its lapse of dormancy and as a result, I was awakened. After Arthur stripped Alexa from her abilities and made her forget, he put me in a comatose state. There were times I could see through Alexandra’s eyes and influence her minimally and there were times I could see nothing for days. And that is why Alexandra is in the state she is now.” Lady Seline said as she waved her hands over Alexa’s body.

Vesper’s eyebrows crinkled in concentration, and she placed a hand over Alexa’s body, her hand glowing an eerie amethyst, as were her eyes as she inspected the body. “Her body... it’s healing itself. But it’s been dormant for so long that it will take time. This is bad.” Vesper said removing her hand away as if she had been burned. “Dad! Our plans! What are we going to do? He might find her now!”

Kyllian inhaled deeply. “Do you know why Crimson did this, My Lady?”

“Alexa had an asthma attack this morning and lacked the inhaler she always has. She was about to die, and I with her. But your niece, Lady Crimson saved us both. Do not blame her for saving us, Kyllian, she did what she thought was best, and for that, I am grateful. And yes, there is a chance that they might find Alexandra now. I know your Oracle has given you a time set for your grand escape, and I will try my best for that day to come, as your Oracle predicted. So, have no fear! But beware and keep a watchful eye, things never go according to plan. And even now, in my weakened state, I feel the influence of Gwaine. So please do your best and keep this child safe.”

Vesper and Kyllian looked at each other and nodded, followed by Vesper feeling a pull in her gut. “The spell is wearing off, Dad. Our time is nearly up.”

“Understood.” Kyllian looked over Lady Seline. “Anything else you need, My Lady?”

“No. I have absolutely everything I need. Your job is to keep her safe. I will return the control to Alexandra now, so please... come up with a decent lie or make her forget she ever saw you. All right?”

“Yes, Seline,” Kyllian added as he looked at Vesper.

The Lady’s eyes shut with a snap and she fell unconscious on the ground, like dead weight.

“Got any good excuses?”

“I’ll come up with one Vesp.”

“If you say so. I’ll try to strengthen my illusion. Don’t want this to happen again.”

“Do it now, I think she’s coming to.”

Per her father’s command, Vesper strengthened her illusion as Kyllian looked at Alexandra and hugged her to his chest one more time before Alexa woke up. Her eyes snapped open, green peridot orbs staring into his blue-gray ones. But before Alexa could utter a word, Kyllian beat her to it once more.

“You won’t remember this event ever happening. You never saw through Ms. Sullivan’s illusion, and you don’t remember me telling you this. You will fall back asleep once more and awaken when you are told. The only thing you will remember is that you fainted because you haven’t eaten anything. You will promptly remember that you have to go to class and forget that this event ever happened, understood?”

In a monotone voice, Alexa replied, “Yes.”

“Good, now sleep.”

And immediately, Alexa fell back asleep. Vesper crouched next to her father and held a sleeping Alexa to her chest. “My dear baby cousin, I love you very much, no matter what. I just hope that when the time is right, you’ll forgive us.”

Placing a kiss on Alexa’s head, Vesper let her father grab Alexa once again, allowing him to hug his niece one last time before Vesper stood up and released the Ankotrum spell. Time resumed and the sound of voices chattering in the distance was heard, along with the PA system announcing that in three days, the school would end. Vesper placed a hand on her father’s shoulder. “It’s time, Dad.”

Kyllian nodded before awakening Alexa. “Wake up.”

**__.__**

_Alexandra Huntington_

I woke up and found myself in the arms of Mr. Burkhardt and panicked when I didn’t remember how and why I was on the ground.

“What happened?”

Mr. Burkhardt stared at Ms. Sullivan, a worried look on his face. “You fainted.” Mr. Burkhardt explained.

“I what?” I asked as I rubbed the crease between my eyes, feeling a slight pain on the back of my head, near my neck.

“You passed out.” Ms. Sullivan said sharply. “You were telling us about how this commotion with Peter and Sasha started when you suddenly fainted. Did you eat breakfast this morning? A person’s sugar levels can go down when they haven’t eaten breakfast.”

To me, that made sense, strangely. I didn’t question my teacher’s reasoning. Instead, I apologized and got to my feet, and wiped my clothes.

“Is that the only thing you two needed to know? And yes, I haven’t eaten breakfast yet but I’m not entirely hungry, I’ll go eat a snack when I get hungry.”

Ms. Sullivan looked at Alexa. “Yes, that’s all we needed from you. But are you certain you aren’t hungry? If so, please get to class. I’ll be there shortly. But know that if you ever feel hungry, you are free to walk out of my class to get yourself something to eat.”

I nodded and grabbed my books from the floor, shoved my bags into my locker, grabbed my notebook and a few pens before walking towards Ms. Sullivan’s classroom.

I entered the room and sat in my designated spot in the back, ignoring the eyes of everyone else as I waited for Ms. Sullivan to return.

And after that my day truly went by in a blur. History, Gym, Lunch period, English, Spanish and free period; I always used my free period to go to the library and catch up on reading whatever book I didn’t finish the previous day. Free period was mandatory in my school, allowing the students to have time for themselves, everyone’s free period was at different hours, hardly everyone had the same free period at the same time. The book was interesting, it was titled City of Bones and for some unknown reason, I could not put it down. I sat there reading until the librarian, Miss Mormino, had to usher me out of the library saying, ′ _I could borrow the book’._ Contemplating my options, I allowed myself to borrow the book from Miss Mormino, promising that I’ll try to read it soon.

And with the book in my backpack, I walked back home. I could finally smell everything, literally everything and let me tell you, New York did not smell pretty. I found myself holding my nose every time I walked by certain buildings. If this is what I thought I was missing out, I really regret my decision. Nonetheless, I made it to the bar, walking in to find Maxwell and McKayla setting up the tables and preparing everything while everyone else in the bar prepared for the evening shift. I tried to quickly walk past them without being seen and I almost managed to get away until McKayla caught sight of me as I climbed the stairs to the upper floor.

“Alexandra, where do you think you’re going?” She replied sharply.

I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned around to face her. She had the Pirate’s Tavern uniform on; it consisted of black pencil pants or skirt, whatever the user preferred, a red off the shoulder long-sleeved blouse, the boots or shoes of colored preference, and a black vest. The theme was to look like a pirate or wench, in a way and this was as close as we could get to look like an actual pirate. McKayla’s face was set in a nasty frown and it took all my willpower to not run off to my room and lock myself in there.

But I remembered my role and fell into my submissive persona. “I’m actually going upstairs to change and come downstairs for work when I’m done.”

McKayla looked at me up and down. “Did you finish your schoolwork?”

“Not entirely but I can finish tomorrow.”

“Good answer. Now get ready and be down here in twenty minutes, you’re working behind the bar tonight.”

I nodded and quietly made my way up the stairs. Internally, I was happy, I hated working as a waitress, but I could handle working behind the bar just fine. All I had to do was make drinks or prepare some food and work behind the register. A smile formed on my face as I walked to the door to my room and found my work clothes and made my way to the bathroom. I took a quick shower, got dressed in record time and even did my hair in a small braid, leaving small fringes to cover up my scar, before stepping out of the bathroom just in time to hear Maxwell walk up the stairs accompanied by a man.

“Maxwell, honestly it’s been too long, my brother! We have so much to catch up on. I was thinking of buying a share of your building, maybe even remodel it to help you with business.” The other man replied in a deep Italian accent.

“Valen, really it’s no trouble at all. My wife and my children have prospered so far on our own. We don’t want to trouble you with our problems.” Maxwell replied.

“Are you denying my generous offer to help you, Maxwell?”

Silence.

“Of course not, old friend. I just don’t want to trouble you with my problems or anything like that.” Maxwell said as smoothly as he could.

“Ah but brother, I wouldn’t offer my services for free, you know that perfectly well. I would need insurance or something else for you to pay me with; if money is not an option.”

Maxwell remained silent for a moment. “What could I possibly have that you could want?”

“That is simple. So, how’s A-”

I would have heard Valentino’s reply had McKayla not opened her fat mouth to call my name. “Alexandra! Could you come down here, please?!”

I felt my skin turn cold.

McKayla had said please.

She never said please unless I was in deep trouble or we had guests. Praying that it was the latter, I shoved my feet into my boots and ran down the stairs past Maxwell and Valentino, who were talking about something I couldn’t hear because my only thought now was to get down those stairs as quick as I could. As I reached the end, I heard McKayla saying as sweetly as she could, “Is there anything else I can get you, darling?”

“Nothing at all, Mrs. Huntington. I’m just waiting to see Alexa.”

And I recognized that voice. There was no way I could forget that voice so soon. Turning around the corner, I saw McKayla serve Crimson some soda. I was compelled to rub my eyes, to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating when McKayla looked directly at me and allowed a smile to plaster her face.

“Alexa, darling, why didn’t you tell me you were expecting a classmate over? I would have at least told Zach to have some food prepared for your friend.”

“Sorry mom, it must have slipped my mind,” I replied. My attention then focused on Crimson. “Hey Crimson, fancy seeing _you_ here.”

“Well, I did promise I was going to be seeing you soon, didn’t I?” Crimson said as she got off the barstool and walked towards me. “I was just telling your mom about the chemistry project. About learning acids and bases as our last project to raise our grades?”

Alexa smiled. “Yes, it’s our last project mom, Ms. Sullivan wants us to give her project before Friday so Crimson and I agreed to try to finish it best we can at home. Crimson offered for me to go to her house to finish the project, but I told her I had work at home. I almost forgot our agreement for her to come over.”

Crimson smiled at me and mouthed _, “Good job.”_

McKayla stared at Crimson then at me. “Okay Alexa, just _please_ finish this project before 5 pm, I need you down here. So, if it’s alright with your friend, could you girls hurry on your project?”

“Sure, thing Mom. I’ll be here at 5 pm.”

“It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Huntington,” Crimson replied as she followed me up the stairs to my room as we both passed by Valentino and Maxwell, who were talking to each other in the middle of the hallway. Valentino looked at me and then at Crimson, a smirk forming on his face.

“Nice to see you, Alexa.”

I allowed a fake smile to form on my face. “Nice to see you too, sir,” I replied while grabbing Crimson’s arm and pulling her towards my room and shutting the door behind me.

“What are you doing here?! How the hell do you know where I live?”

“I have made a terrible mistake and I was hoping to make up for it. Remember when I said I had a secret to keep? That if I told you, I could put your life in jeopardy?”

I nodded, half certain.

“Well, I’m sorry in advance but this morning when I saved your life? I actually placed a target on your back. You’re in deep trouble now, Alexandra.”

**_“A Man’s real possession is his memory. In nothing else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor.”_ **

**|Amora|**

**(Song Listened to While Writing: Broken Dream by Two Steps from Hell)**


End file.
